I like to save things. It’s always hard for me to throw away things or even sometimes to give them away, because it seems like we may need it for something down the road and not have it. I’ve recently learned the hard way, that saving my writings for a better day to send out, a better edit or a better market was perhaps not the best thing. When even THE GEEK SQUAD couldn’t help us, I’ve had to accept what I cannot change, that at least six years of work is lost. I feel like a part of me is lost, many times, as some things just can’t be recreated, especially poetry.
Not that I didn’t give away a lot of it but a lot sat in my computer, waiting until it was good enough to share or send out.
This is one thing that I’ve learned: Don’t hide, save or store away your gifts, no matter how small they seem to you.
Bill and I both have this thing about looking around, seeing the people with REAL giftings, talents and yes, at times even beauty, and thinking that we perhaps got overlooked. We have most of the time felt to be the “least of these” and that’s not always a bad thing, as it keeps us from being haughty.
When I was a little girl, I could play piano “by ear” or “by heart”. When there was a painful trauma in my childhood, I let the enemy quieten that gift; a gift that could’ve been honed for the Lord. It is to my shame I admit this; I have many pictures of me, age five, at my grandmother’s recitals, playing before a whole church of people. In rereading THE CREATIVE CALL by Janice Elsheimer, I’m tempted to retry playing. But as life seems to continually get in the way of living, my time is really not my own, even more so, lately.
The words to the children’s song, THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, were running through my head as I wrote this. Hide it under a bushel. No! I’m going to let it shine.
So today I’m having some regrets but I can’t live there. I will focus on things that I can change, focus on the WORD OF THE LORD, try to find what my new season is, and BE GRATEFUL. I will try my best not to hide my gifts under a bushel. I will try to live better and along the way, one of the best things I’ve found that I am good at, is encouraging YOU and your beautiful giftings. While I can’t be your personal cheerleader, I do say, go out there and SHINE, people. You are unique, you are SPECIAL, you are CALLED OF GOD. Use your gifts.
Let your light shine. Today!
Beautiful, new version of song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVeB7ACVgO0
Older version; gospel version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3nTsFJEQE
Kid’s version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki5CA4oXL7w
Write! Shine! Thank you! I've been a spastic writer for years but it's oxygen to me, and I'm finally taking steps to make it a regular part of my life. I've been through the Creative Call, too, and started it again recently. Don't you just love it? The way you glimpse your childhood self at play before someone told you you weren't good enough? And my mother plays by ear, by heart, and it is the most beautiful music ever. I encourage you to try it again, if only for the way it might minister to you.
ReplyDeleteI needed this. Thank you again for writing it.
Thank you for your lovely comments. I NEEDED THEM RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Bless you.
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